“This exemplifies the problem with any captive wildlife displayed for profit,” said Carter Dillard, Director of Litigation for the ALDF. “They are made to do unnatural and freakish things to attract gawkers.

“The good news is that the civilised world is moving away from this, like the gradual elimination of orcas from places like Seaworld.”

Elisa Allen, Director PETA UK, said: “If we really needed any more proof that zoos are motivated by profit and not animal welfare, this is surely it.

“Smoking is as dangerous to Azalea the chimpanzee as it is to humans, and yet her ‘caretakers’ facilitate her habit – just for the sake of a few cheap laughs and more bodies coming through the gates.

“Anyone who cares about protecting animals should donate to programmes that help them in their natural habitats, where they're free to engage in natural behaviour, and stay away from these glorified prisons that objectify sensitive animals.”

The zoo has been previously been criticised by travel guide Lonely Planet, who described the animals inside looking ‘pretty forlorn’.

“Worst off are the big cats, nearly all gifts of long-dead communist bigwigs around the world – the wonderful lions, tigers and leopards are kept in woefully inadequate compounds and many have lost the plot as a result. The zoo’s two elephants and its hippo all look exceptionally lacklustre as well,” they noted.

Azalea smokes a pack of cigarettes a day Credit:
AP

Visitors have also criticised the zoo on Trip Advisor, one person, who visited in 2014, explained: “Unfortunately the conditions for animals in other parts of the zoo were very poor.”

Another reviewer, who visited the same year, also saw cigarettes being thrown to chimpanzees, adding they were ‘appalled’ by their enclosure.